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PNS Daily Newscast - May 24, 2018

Jared Kushner is finally granted his security clearance. Also on our nationwide rundown: A new lawsuit seeks the release of a gay man from ICE detention in Pennsylvania; and protecting an Arizona water source for millions near Phoenix.

Iowa Educators: Obesity Impacting National Security

Military leaders say in the last decade, it's been harder to recruit soldiers, due to health declines and rising weight among the nationís youth. (Expert Infantry/Flickr)

November 14, 2017

DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa educators and the American Heart Association say poor childhood health - including obesity rates - has reached a critical level that's impacting far more than just the individuals whose health is at risk.

Brian Rhoads, a physical education curriculum leader with West Des Moines Community Schools, says it's becoming a national security issue.

"We're not having students leave our school systems in a position where they can join the military because they're not physically healthy to do that," he laments.

The federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaces No Child Left Behind, is in its first year which means states have an initial opportunity to present a plan addressing student assessments, school accountability, funding, and support for struggling schools. The words "physical education" only appear once in Iowa's lengthy draft and they are only used in reference to elementary school standards.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 4 young adults are too heavy to serve in our military.

Research from the American Heart Association shows that 95 percent of parents with children under 18 want physical education to be part of their child's overall education. Rhoads says he's concerned, however, that the issue is not being prioritized and resources could actually decrease further.

"I don't think that the legislature is going to appropriate funds for a program that doesn't have standards in the state," he warns. "Until that's in place, I don't think we're going to have the traction to move forward in a way that we really want."

In recent years, state budget woes have led to physical education curriculum cuts. According to the CDC, the Department of Defense, our nation's largest employer, spends about one-point-five billion dollars annually in obesity-related health care costs for current and former service members and their families, as well as costs to replace unfit personnel.